Bandages
by DigiExpert
Summary: After a particularly nasty fight with a demon, Kyouko sneaks home to avoid questions from passersby. She finds Mami there, who immediately tends to her.


**This was a request from Speedingturtle312 on deviantArt. It was supposed to be a drabble that answered the prompt "Kyouko gets cut up in battle and Mami has to fix it, with ribbons instead of bandages if possible." I tried to go that route, but I just kept getting awkward and forced transitions. To kind of compensate, this story became fic length, and it does set up nicely for a sequel should I want to continue it in the future. Enjoy.**

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," she cursed under her breath as she held her right arm gingerly. Whatever that demon had done, it had _stung._ Her arm was a crisscross pattern of scratches and deeper cuts that burned viciously beneath her light jacket. She knew that none of them were life threatening, but she also knew they shouldn't burn like this. It was as though someone had thrown salt in the wounds. Then again, she wasn't sure what that felt like either.

She kept to the shadowy side streets, looking for the best way to get home without drawing unnecessary attention to herself. The last thing she needed was some stranger telling her to get to a hospital. Like she'd ever go willingly. However, she didn't need that stranger whipping out a cell phone and dialing the police. There would be far too many questions that she didn't want to answer. No, it was best to stay away from trouble.

Eventually, she found herself climbing the steps of the apartment building, mentally telling herself that things would be perfectly all right if she could just make it to the door. She reached for the knob, and immediately realized she'd need a key to get in. _My key…_ She banged her head against the door in frustration. Her key was on the table by the door, just where she'd left it that morning. _Damn, damn, damn_ she mentally chanted as her head banged along in rhythm.

The door suddenly opened, and she nearly lost her balance. She would have, if her head hadn't continued forward and landed against the other person's cushioning chest. The joys of momentum at its finest. Her body, however, had prepared to fall and she clutched her arm a bit too tightly.

"Damnit!" she hissed through clenched teeth. She felt hands push her chest back into a standing position and she caught the worry in the eyes looking back at her.

"Kyouko, what happened?" Mami's eyes were immediately drawn to Kyouko's arm, which, while still hidden beneath the jacket, showed blood strains creeping through the fabric.

"Demon," replied Kyouko tersely. "Cut me up. It burns too."

Mami began guiding her to their room, keeping a hand on the small of Kyouko's back. She pushed Kyouko gently into a sitting position on the bed, and then left the room. Kyouko could only presume she was going to get the first aid kit. She tried to keep herself distracted, finding no solace in the pale yellow wallpaper pattern. She was not fond of cleaning up the aftermath of a fight.

"Tell me what happened?" asked Mami softly as she set the first aid kit on the bed. She flipped open the lid and began rummaging through it, searching for supplies. She pulled out a few containers and a roll of white bandages.

"It was like any other fight, except I wasn't paying careful attention. I swung my chains one way and the demon swung the other way. Next thing I knew my arm was like a chew toy. Plenty of cuts, but they burn too."

Nodding, Mami set to work, first working Kyouko's jacket off her. She peeled it away gently, glad to find that it wasn't stuck to the skin. Kyouko squirmed and fidgeted, trying to keep from crying out. Mami placed the jacket on the floor for the moment. Later, she would try to remove the stains from it. She hated the thought of tossing Kyouko's favorite jacket in the garbage.

Once again, Kyouko preferred to look away and not watch Mami tend to her arm. She wasn't exactly squeamish, but she also didn't want to see the torn skin and bloodied cuts. "Distract me," she stated bluntly.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Mami, eyes focused on cleaning the wound. She tilted Kyouko's arm this way and that, trying to figure out what the demon had done to cause the burning sensation.

"I don't know. Anything." Kyouko winced as Mami rubbed a bit too hard on one cut.

"Sorry about that. It looks like I need to use the Soul Gem to clear away what the demon has done. It appears to be some kind of dark magic. I'm not exactly sure though. It could hurt."

"Could?" questioned Kyouko skeptically.

"I don't know if it will or not. I've never used the Soul Gem on an injury like this. Please relax."

Kyouko clenched her teeth. "Just do it." She closed her eyes. As she did so, she heard humming, and realized that the source was Mami. She tried to place the tune. It sounded so familiar, but then again, maybe it wasn't. She went back and forth, listing possible tunes in her mind. She became so caught up in figuring out the tune that she didn't hear a word Mami said.

"Kyouko, did you hear me?"

"…What?"

"I said, you should be fine now. I got the bleeding to stop and treated the wounds. I just need to put something on the cuts and bandage your arm, and you'll be fine. The bandages will need changed this evening though."

Kyouko looked down at her arm. While she'd been caught up in her own thoughts, Mami had cleaned the wound and the blood. Dirtied cloths rested upon the floor as evidence. Then she eyed the bottle in Mami's hand. "That's going to hurt, isn't it?"

Mami nodded sadly. "I'm afraid so. Close your eyes and listen again."

Eyes closed, Kyouko listened for those first notes, welcoming the distraction they brought. They didn't block out the pain from whatever Mami was placing over her cuts, but it helped. Every now and then, she hissed through clenched teeth and her arm jerked, but Mami held her steady.

"Done, Kyouko. You can open your eyes if you'd like. I'm just going to bandage your arm."

She breathed a sigh of relief. The ordeal was almost over. At least the burning sensation was gone. Pain she could tolerate. Burning, not so much. She allowed herself to watch Mami wrap the white strips around her arm, noticing how focused the older girl was.

Mami looked up, and smiled when she caught Kyouko watching her. She placed the metal pieces in place and stood, looking down at Kyouko. "Be easy on that arm until it heals a bit. I don't want to see the wounds opening up again. Rest easy tonight." She saw Kyouko was ready to protest, no doubt to mention the patrol she'd need to complete the next day. "You can even have as much of that chocolate frosted cake in the refrigerator as you'd like, as long as you rest like I've asked."

The words died on Kyouko's lips. Mami knew her weak spots all too well. She nodded and looked down at her arm again. Perhaps if she were careful about it, she could get more cake out of this ordeal. She licked her lips, daydreaming of the possibilities. Maybe Mami would even make more cake—

"If you think I'll make more cake, you're out of your mind." Mami stood and bent over to kiss Kyouko's lips lightly. "That offer is only for tonight." She gathered the contents of the first aid kit together, organizing everything neatly inside. She gathered the soiled cloths and Kyouko's jacket from the floor as well.

"So I can patrol after tomorrow?" Kyouko's voice was hopeful.

"No." Mami turned and began walking away.

"How will you stop me?"

"I don't need cake to keep you from patrolling. That's what ribbons are for," explained Mami coolly as she looked over her shoulder and winked.


End file.
